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Getting Sidetracked
Tygun Span - Praetorus Wharf(#11241Rt) - Nova Cronum A relatively straight stretch of narrow road that connects Nova Cronum to Iacon, elevated above multi-level polygonal pillars. While there's little traffic, there are fast-moving, armored trams to whisk authorized mechs along the span. The railyard that interconnected the various parts of Nova Cronum and use to connect it to much of Cybertron in general was moderately calm as the evening cycles set in. While the Autobots had not yet given up the fight for the city, they had been turning their attention elsewhere, focusing mainly on their outposts and the logistics of all the refugees they've taken in. To the Decepticons it may seem like they've held back or gone into hiding again. Which made this the chance they had to do this little thing. A small drone patrol is passing along the rail lines when what sounds like a airhorn blares with a strange echoing manner. Two of the drones stop and swivel around a few times, pointing their My First Blasters hither and yon. Until one hears the horn again, and points towards where light can be briefly seen flashing between the metal flats used to block off one of the gateways into the currently unused underground rail passages. The drones turn and raise their weapons again, one bleeping a disportionately cheerful "HEL-LO COME OUT A PLAY~" Which is cut off by the blockade smashing to pieces as a large spike bearing plow comes crashing through it, a chunk of a flat hurtling through the chest of one drone. The other snaps off a few shots, only to get run down by the large truck said plow is attached to. Sparks screech as the drone is dragged under the cyberpunk truck's chassis until it finally rolls to a stop, to let off the Autobots that had ridden along on Horsepower's hauling bed. "Awright mechs, let's move quick. We ain't got long to find that dodad before the Cons get a warnin' from our generic li'l friends thare." Stealth? Bah. Much more fun to hit them loud and hard. "Eh heh heh." Imager snorts, "You see that? He just got...blammo." She puts her mitt on Horsepower's frame, then vaults over onto the ground, no doubt easing the strain on the cybertruck. She rolls her shoulder as she hefts her shotgun in her off hand, "Yo, HP, Forget my idea of sneakin in under my holos, that was a lot more fun." The big Femme pretty much saunters forward, her gun hefting up in proper position, as she starts to secure the area. "And I'll forgive ya this time for callin us Mechs, but this time you've got a Femme team...so..you'll win this one, is what I'm driving at." She stomps forward, deeper into the railyard, "We got a locale on this thingamacon or is it just guesswork?" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "hey, I just realized, this is the first time I've been partnered up with another 'fueler. Hah, we're going to be all sorts of juiced up here. No stoppin us" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Can slap a patch too if ya need, but hopin' this ain't gonna take -that- long." <'Autobot'> Imager says, "with Catbot over here, we'll be in and out before last rounds at Maccadam's" "Ride 'em big rig! You go, bot!" Perched with her forepaws right on top of Horsepower's roof is a small, yellow, black and gray feline. Zipline probably would have been safer stored away somewhere, but that's not her style. Neither is sneaking around, and she's had to do FAR too much of that for her own tastes. When Horsepower screetches to a stop, the little cat leaps up on top of the truck, then off, only pausing to use the plow to bounce off of before finally hitting the ground. Zipline flashes Horsepower and Imager a fangy grin. Claws snap forward, leaving little furrows in the ground. "This is way more fun," She agrees, tail flicking behind her. The hydrolics in her legs compress for a moment, before she starts off forward. "Come on, let's smash, grab and get out of here before they even know what hits 'em!" Back in the Darkmount medical bay, the alert comes in from one of Swindles drones, the unit flashing out a brief message that looks like a spiked plow front before it goes offline. The location is noted in the log, and units are flagged to 'investigate'. Of course, Airlift isn't one to wait around for whatever might happen. And since he's not alone in the medical bay, he smirks towards Rumble and Chopshop as he says, "How terribly convenient..two incredibly compactable passengers and me one of the fastest Decepticon's in service..." he muses as he strides out of his office. "Come along then, I grow weary of repairing damage and want to cause a bit! I haven't felt energon on my claws to cleanse them after disecting that disgusting MECH minion.." He stalks out into the hallway and transforms, opening his cockpit long enough for any passengers to hop in, it's large enough for Galvatron so surely they can figure something out quickly. Then, as soon as they're inside he fires his afterburners and takes off through the halls, down to the launch pad he rockets and soars up into the sky. The only warning the Autobot's have that reinforcements are in bound, is a glimmering purple and blue streak in the sky high above them as Airlift arcs sub-orbital at top velocities to reach the scene of the action as quickly as possible. Rumble follows quickly, hopping aboard Airlift. "They better not be knockin' down that enerwine shop," he grouses. "Cause I just got done cleanin' that **** up from the last batch of Autojerks." Chopshop just follows along with Rumble! Autobots being there means that, hey, a great oppertunity for some drama-free stealing, which he's always up for! The Insecticon waits, chittering lightly for Airlift to arrive. Because he is going to crawl out of the Reavercraft as a giant bug when they arrive. The downed drone crunchs a bit more as Horsepower rolls forward a little. "The device was in midst of bein' shipped off-planet for testin'," Horsepower rumbles his explaination, "when the city was first invaded. But it was kinda top secret so hopin' no one else knew it was even here yet." Once he's gotten clear off the tracks the truck transforms. "Just look for crates marked fer off-planet, an' be ready fer the real trouble to show up." He takes a moment to make sure his backups are running properly. Then strides over to pull the top off a crate and look inside. "Nope, this ain't it." Tosses the lid aside and moves on. Not enough time to waste being neat and tidy about the manner. The wrecker rig heaves up and rearranges into a heavy Autobot form. The big Femme smirks again, "Yeah, but I get that we gotta do this fast. These guys managed to chase us out of here, despite givin them a blinded optic, so this IS bad guy turf." Her tone grows more serious, "We get the whole city up in arms, and we'll have more tools around us than in ole Horsepower's machine shop after a bender." The moment passes, "Whelp, time to bash." She reaches back over her shoulder to her large tower shield, then draws it in a well-practiced motion. Imager changes her stance, putting it well before her frame, trotting in a shoulder first manner. She nods to Horsepower, even as she's not looking towards him. "Gotcha. Off-planet cargo. So...lesse, I'm in Ops, I should know this...Cons are gettin supplied by...it's either Crystal State Tech or Nitrous Armaments, dependin...lessen it's a special order." The refueler frowns to herself...there were reports of Dark Energon being shipped into Crystal City back then. She shuddered unconsciously, THAT was a problem she never wanted to have to deal with. The idea of something that malignant in her fuel systems...well, it was best not to think about it. Combat: Imager sets her defense level to Protected. The Global Pose Tracker marks that Imager has 'skipped' her action for this round. You will no longer hear messages on channel . < got you>> Zipline radios back to the other two in their little venture. Primarily because by the time that Horsepower rumbles out the proper instructions for what they're looking for, Zipline is already almost halfway across the shipping yard. <>. Zipline slows to a steady walk. <> She asks, leaping up on top of one of the crates. It barely creaks underneath her more lightweight frame. Eyes quickly scan the box's shipping lable, before she hops off to the next. <> Combat: Zipline sets her defense level to Guarded. The Global Pose Tracker marks that Zipline has 'skipped' her action for this round. <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Zip, if this is still packaged up, its probably in an airdrop container. The ones with the big spots on top that can be mag-clamped. But if its been unpackaged, well, I dunno what to tell ya." <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "... Imager's got a point, actually. It was intended to ship to off-world minin' op for testin' eventually, those places tend to be isolated to travel to other than by air." <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Gotta hope the cons haven't been counting up their loot yet then." <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Darn it all, Ah shoulda thought of that too" <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Narrows it down by about a ton though!" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Bah, you know Rule 1 of Ops: It isn't ever easy." The reavercraft glistens across the night sky as it archs over the shipping yard, scanners on long range and picking up Autobot signals below.. <> he warns to Chopshop and Rumble. <> Still pretty high up, Airlift's cockpit opens and ejects the other two Decepticon's into the sky with him as he transforms. He doesn't bother waiting to see how they handle the sudden expulsion either, because he's not bothering with flying anymore. Like a meteor he plummets downward at startling, incredible speeds, heading right for Horsepower. His wings flare open and cast a shadow, the only warning he gives to those below as he slams down into the ground with tremendous force, his preferred method of making an entrance apparently. His lower left hand extends, holding a long staff in it that erupts into a crackling purple bladed energy scythe as he growls out, "You are trespassing on Decepticon territory..surrender or be destroyed." He then suddenly smirks wickedly, his optics glowing a bruised red hue rather than their usual purple as his combat visor slides down into place. The voice that rasps out is somehow more sinsister than it was before as he says, "please...choose the latter.." Combat: Airlift sets his defense level to Guarded. <'Autobot'> Horsepower chuckles drly. "Too true lass, too true." The Global Pose Tracker marks that Airlift has 'skipped' his action for this round. Chop Shop folds down into a giant stag beetle! <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Speakin of that...lookie what we got here" Chop Shop rises into his robot form, watch out! Combat: Rumble sets his defense level to Aggressive. Rumble is used to being jettisoned, getting ejected, however one might wanty to put it. So when Airlift rather unceremoniously lets him out, he flips around rapidly a few times, then soars downward, imagining himself to be every bit as terrifying as the Reaverbot. Except he isn't going for Fat Feet this time around; he pulls his laser-rifle off his back, and begins shooting at Zipline as he descends toward the wharf. "Get your noodle outta those crates," he warns. Combat: Rumble strikes Zipline with his High-Intensity Pulse Laser (Laser) attack! <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "That didn't take long." Combat: Chopshop slips into the shadows and out of sight... Chopshop leaps off Airlift when he approaches and just... Seems to disappear into the buildings. Let the Reaverbot and Rumble draw attention for now, the Insecticon has plans that involve being hidden and sneaking around behind the Autobots. Despite being a larger transformer, Chopshop is surprisingly able to stay just out of sight and out of the way... What could he be up to? <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Oh look, they brought ya an opponent yer size" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "keeps ya from getting bored" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Only two of em. Heh, things must be gettin slack over here. Imma go kick four arm's aft, you feel free to join me, Hoss" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Rawght. Just keep an optic open fer what we're really here for. As nice as a scrap is." <'Autobot'> Air Raid says, "Go team!" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Who the smelt just said that?" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Listen, buddy. I dunno who you think you are, but we're putting our lives on the line here, in enemy turf" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "The same place we got our afts kicked out and I'm just messin with ya, go team, yeah. heh..." Horsepower grabs onto another shipping crate, but a voice speaks up before he can pry it open. He turns just enough to look at the source, and lets out a huff of exhaust at reconizing the four armed wonder. "Well seein' as yer the one that busted into our outpost, y'all could say we just be returnin' the favor. But iffen ya really wanna keep this..." Horsepower puts his strength to use to heave the entire crate off the transport cart, and heaves it at Airlift. "Catch!" Though he doesn't bother waiting to see if it actually lands on the Reaver, vaulting over the cart it had been sitting on and making for farther into the loading yard. <'Autobot'> Air Raid says, "Er, go troops?" <'Autobot'> Air Raid says, "I'm trying to inspire!" <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Huh! Haven't seen one of Soundlame's losers lately." <'Autobot'> Dogfight says, "Wreck 'im." Combat: Horsepower misses Airlift with his Crate Tossin' (Punch) attack! Combat: Gained 1 energon. <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Just give me a moment, think Ah see a different style o' crate over yander." Imager stops in her tracks as Airlift makes his dramatic entrance. Her light blue optics flicker in reminiscence of a blink. She actually takes a half step back, at the way Airlift slammed down, apparently showing off the training of 3 eons of drama school. Imager looks to the side around Airlift, noting the little blue twerp, Rumble making his appearance. << Hey, one of Soundwave's little stooges. Zip, you lemme know, I'll stomp him or something. He's actually got some good lasers on him...so its cool if you need the assist, ya dig?>> By the time she regards Airlift, there's already a crate coming at him. She stomps forwards, all nice and slowly, putting emphasis on her walk. "Guessin, that's your answer." She delivers her trademark smirk before moving up to engage Airlift, "So before I donate your chassis to Goodgrill, tell me...are you some sort of Insecticon, or did Shockwave get all handsy?" Despite her casual conversation, she brings up the big boot, all the way up to her chest, and simply goes to kick Airlift right in the everywhere. She DOES have big feet. Imager stops in her tracks as Airlift makes his dramatic entrance. Her light blue optics flicker in reminiscence of a blink. She actually takes a half step back, at the way Airlift slammed down, apparently showing off the training of 3 eons of drama school. Imager looks to the side around Airlift, noting the little blue twerp, Rumble making his appearance. << Hey, one of Soundwave's little stooges. Zip, you lemme know, I'll stomp him or something. He's actually got some good lasers on him...so its cool if you need the assist, ya dig? >> By the time she regards Airlift, there's already a crate coming at him. She stomps forwards, all nice and slowly, putting emphasis on her walk. "Guessin, that's your answer." She delivers her trademark smirk before moving up to engage Airlift, "So before I donate your chassis to Goodgrill, tell me...are you some sort of Insecticon, or did Shockwave get all handsy?" Despite her casual conversation, she brings up the big boot, all the way up to her chest, and simply goes to kick Airlift right in the everywhere. She DOES have big feet. Combat: Imager misses Airlift with her Its like one of those Battletoads big boots! (Kick) attack! -1 You will no longer hear messages on channel . Why are there so many crates? Zipline jumps from one to the other, stopping only so long to run her optics over the shipping lable. Even then, her back legs are tensing, so thay by the time the scan comes up negative, she's ready to lunge off to the next one. But then after a few crates she starts passing up certain crates. Instead of scanning each and every one she comes across, she picks and chooses. The arrival of the decepticons earns just a brief glance from the cheetah. "Whelp, looks like the clock just got a bit faster!" She mutters, smirking slightly. With a flick of her tail, she lunges to the next section of crates. And ends up getting a round of laser fire through her midsection for her troubles. Zipline just barely manages to latch onto the next pile of crates with her foreclaws, her back end dangling. <> Zipline pings back to Imager. The little cheetah bot scrambles up onto the crate, a few scorch marks showing on her chasis. <'m about to say hello right back.>> "What, you mean THESE crates?" Zipline says, glancing down at one. She quickly scans it. Then hops off to another in a quick few steps. "Or do you mean this one. Because there's a lot of crates here." She flashes a fangy grin at Rumble. Even while her sensors are quickly scanning him and around him, analyzing for weaknesses - Or something else she can use on him. Combat: Zipline analyzes Rumble for weaknesses. It would seem that the Reaver is not at all his usual careless self on this night, coiled like a spring ready to move into action, he lacks that moment of hesitation that would have caused the crate to impact him. Instead, he spins off to the right as the crate slings towards him, scythe snapping out to catch the huge crate on the base of the blade. As the energy blade starts to sheer it's way through, inertia pulls on the scythe and Airlift spins with it, redirecting the crates movement. That huge boot comes in too low, the Reaver spinning up on his antigravs with the crate, flinging it and him up into the air as it's sliced in half. Already in motion, he ends up between the two halves of the crate as it's comming apart, clawed talons catching one side and controlling the spin of the two halves before releasing them, sending them flying towards Horsepower and Imager, a half-crate each for their troubles. Combat: Airlift strikes Horsepower with his this move is pretty half-baked (Ruckus) Area attack! -1 Combat: Airlift (Airlift) used "Ruckus": A Level 1 AREA-MELEE attack. Combat: You took 5 damage. Combat: Airlift misses Imager with his this move is pretty half-baked (Ruckus) Area attack! -1 "I *know* there's a lotta crates here, I put 'em out here!" Rumble says in annoyance, as Zipline zips around this way and that around the crates. "Nngh, stand still, willya?? Quit runnin' all over the place," he grumbles, already losing patience with the speedster tape-bot. At one point when she gets close enough, he just attempts to tackle her into a pile of crates. Never mind that he was so proud of piling them up just a few short seconds ago! Combat: Rumble misses Zipline with his Bedrock Shatter (Smash) attack! There's a crackling behind the boxes as, all of a sudden, Chopshop is revealed, disruptor spear in hand! The Insecticon lunges from the boxes "-I'm- the Insecticon!" he chitters, attempting to impale Imager with the spear! Combat: Chopshop appears from the shadows... Combat: Sneak Attack!! Combat: Chopshop strikes Imager with his Surprise bug! attack! -2 <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Oww..." <'Autobot'> Imager says, "sorta" "Hmm," Zipline seems to mull this over for a second, lifting a paw to tap at her chin briefly with a couple of claws. It might actually look like she's about to just stand there and let Rumble tackle her. But then at the last nano, her tensed back legs release, and she runs off along the top of the crates. "Nah! Not feeling it!" Zipline then abruptly stops. She digs her claws into one of the top crates, and uses her momentum of her back end to spin her about. A large railcannon materializes upon her back, briefly seeming to weigh her down. Optics scan upwards, noting the large stack of crates, and where Rumble is. "If you like your work so much, here, why don't I help you get to know them better!" There's a brief charge of energy in the cannon, before it fires a quick burst at the bottom crate. It crumples in an instant. Without the bottom crate, all the crates on top of it begin to wobble and wibble. And then the whole stack begins to topple over, right towards Rumble. Combat: Zipline sets her defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Zipline strikes Rumble with her Unlike the Weighted Companion Cube these cubes will hurt you (Kick) attack! <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Uh, don't panic! I scanned those already." Imager frowns a little to herself as that really nice kick ends up going nowhere. She casually keeps her eyes on Airlift as he goes all TF:Prime, doing his unexpected crate assault. She raises her shield a little, angling it just so, to bounce that crate off of her. "Yeah, not gonna work. Shield...and all that." She aims her short barrelled shotgun at Airlift, "Also, got a gun. Which is." Imager grunts in pain, as she is stabbed in the back, the tip of a spear piercing her armor...her ARMOR! She grunts, her attention nicely diverted. With a hiss, the Femme growls, "Get offa me." She rocks backwards, knocking Chopshop back, giving her room to turn about and face him. A hand goes to her side, where a little energon glistens, "If that's...the best you got." Her words trail off for a moment as she scowls at Chopshop, "Then, Buggy....you're in a world of hurt." Imager lumbers forward, drawing her shield back to catch Cheapshot or whatever his name is, across the head with the shield's edge! Combat: Imager sets her defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Imager strikes Chopshop with her Shield Bash attack! -2 For a few ticks Horsepower isn't even considering the fight, attention focused on the shipping container several meters across the railyard. But it looks like the sort they were looking for, he can even see the mag-clamps on the top. He's trucking it as fast as he can to get over there and see if Imager's hunch was right. A ringing blow snaps his attention back to the brewing brawl though as half a crate smashes into his shoulder from behind. It doesn't do a tremendous amount of harm in itself, but the impact slams him into the side of a stack of metal barrels and sends them toppling over to crack apart and spill their contents of small, faintly pink glowing squares. Horsepower rubs his helm as he takes a step back, then looks down at the crunch under his broad heel. "... Smugglin' energon chips, why ain't Ah surprised." But not what they're looking for... With a huff of frustration the engineer turns back to peer at the Cons for a moment, metallic clinking heard as one of his heavy hook and chains rattles out into his hands, spinning one length to build up some momentum at his side. He waits for Imager to make her move, and then as the Insecticon is rebounding from her attack whips the hook end at Chopshop to try and snare him, then give the chain a heave to pull the bug off the femme and toss him towards the Reaver. Combat: Horsepower sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Horsepower strikes Chopshop with his Chain Reaction Area attack! -2 Combat: Horsepower misses Airlift with his Chain Reaction Area attack! -2 Combat: Drained 3 energon. <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Imager, any chance ya can distract those hoodlums somehow?" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Yeah, Cover your optics, I'll get the lot of em...but uh..it's bright and might draw more goonsquads" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Don't fret 'bout bright, Ah got weldin' lenses on!" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "you got it" <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Don't worry about me, blast these suckas!" Rumble glances upward, and bellows, "Oh, ssssshhhhhh----!!!" He's abruptly cut off by a large pile of crates squashing him. For a long moment, there's just blissful silence, and no sign of Rumble. But it takes more than that to stop the Tiny God of War. Suddenly, the pile of crates seems to explode outward, as Rumble punches and kicks them off of him. Remarkably, Rumble seems angrier than he is injured. "Oh, **** that mess!!!" he yells, drawing both of his laser-rifles off his back and opening fire. "**** THAT MESS WITH A RUSTY ********!!!! YA ****in' AutoJERK!!!" Combat: Rumble strikes Zipline with his Dual Laser Rifles attack! <'Autobot'> Imager says, "uh...wow" <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Uh, I might have made him mad." <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Zip, you need ole Horsepower to give you a good fixup? I can take both of these astro-clowns." <'Autobot'> Horsepower's only reply is a deep "Eeeyup." The Reaver in question has no intention of being impacted with an Insecticon, nor does he waste his time worrying with helping Chopshop out of his current predicament. The insecticon surely can free itself by size shifting as his kind does. Airlift was just coming down to land when the Insecticon on a chain goes flying in his direction, and drops all the way to his knees as his wings fold far back, lowering to slide beneath the creature as he raiseshis upper two fists towards Horsepower, sliding straight towards him. The sides of his arms belch out their gatling lasers and open fire, sending a spray of purple bolts towards the Autobot medic. "I don't know what you're looking for, but all you will find in this place is death Autobot!" Combat: Airlift strikes Horsepower with his just a faceful of purple nothing ta see here (Laser) attack! Combat: Airlift (Airlift) used "Laser": A Level 2 RANGED attack. Combat: You took 6 damage. <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Iiiif it's not too much trouble, HP! I think he's trying to play 'connect the spots'!" Chopshop is not only smashed face-first by Imager's shield, but he's then sent on an involuntary 'ride' by Horsepower! The Insecticon goes flying at the end, managing to miss Airlift but still crashing into a wall. There's an angry chittering as Chopshop transforms, and now the giant stag beetle rockets back. The massive mandibles of the Insecticon clatter, as Chopshop attempts to just eat the armor right off Imager! Chop Shop folds down into a giant stag beetle! <'Autobot'> Imager says, "mkay, so I'll blind em all this turn, and like..maybe go sledding on Rumble and the bug in a minute" Combat: Giant Stag Beetle strikes Imager with his Nomnomnom! attack! -1 Combat: Imager compares her Strength to Giant Stag Beetle 's Strength: Failure :( Horsepower starts to pull the chain back towards him, but gets interrupted by the radio requests, and more lasers being fired at him. With a snort he just drops the metal links and holds up one arm to partially shield himself, though the blasts just burn holes in the diamondplate pannels all the same. But his attention is more on other things. Like taking note of where that crate he spotted was, then turning his attention to more important matters. "Sic 'em!" is all he shouts to the femme as he turns and hoofs it. As he does so he stoops down a bit to scoop up Zipline from where she's getting gunned at. "Just hold still a moment lass." Good thing she's small enough for him to just carry as jukes behind another stack of crates. With the other arm he pulls a one use welding wand out of his backpack and uses it to seal up the largest of Zipline's wounds. "Have ya back out there an makin' him a scratchin' post in no-time." Imager spends a few moments coordinating with Horsepower, though she does look towards Zipline's predicament. She knows firsthand that Rumble's more dangerous than he lets on. However, the plan's in motion now, and that's why the good guys win. Good guys make plans and what the smelt is that thing doing?! Imager manages a "Whuu?" as Chopshop changes mode and charges her. The mandibles hit their mark, mostly because she's got her shield jammed in its face. "I told ya to get offa me!" The Insecticon holds onto her weapon/shield with surprising strength, even after she puts a boot up against him. In the center of her torso lies a reddish focal point, a dynamo called the Helios Array, and from it, light starts to build. Duplicates of herself start to form around Chopshop in a confusing array as she wrenches her shield away. A huge array of light, the Aurora Cybertrolis blasts out, its hypnotic and blinding patterns intent on blinding the unwary! Combat: Horsepower sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Horsepower quickly patches up some of Zipline's minor injuries. Combat: Drained 4 energon. Imager pauses as the light flickers, "Uh....whoops...." She coughs to herself, "Sorta...erm forgot to add in the reserves...oh slag it!" She draws her shotgun and starts shooting pretty much everyone. Combat: Imager strikes Giant Stag Beetle with her Full-Auto Area attack! Combat: Imager strikes Rumble with her Full-Auto Area attack! Combat: Imager strikes Airlift with her Full-Auto Area attack! hImager has arrived. You will no longer hear messages on channel . "Heh, sucker," Zipline says, tail swaying back and forth behind her in amusement. Ah, silence. Zipline gets a few precious seconds to scan all the crates she wants. But she's not scanning /all/ the crates. It looks like she's not paying attention to any of the crates that don't look like they're air drop crates. If only the silence lasted a little while longer. Zipline turns to stare at one tiny, angry decepticon. Optics widen as laser fire fills the air. She barely has a moment to tense her hydrolics, before laser fire begins ripping holes in her armor as if Rumble was trying to play 'Connect to he dots'. Without actually making lines between the dots. She scrambles behind one of the other crates, but even by then she's got a few nice holes in her hide. "Geeze," She calls out, "Soundlame let you in his tape compartment with a mouth like that?" Zipline tenses abruptly when she's pulled up and away from the edge of her crate. But relaxes when she realizes it's only Horsepower. "Whew, domo arigato, mister roboto," She says, as the biggest holes in her armor are welded shut. A smirk forms on her muzzle, "I've always wanted to say that since I heard the song." Go figure. "Alright, I'll keep him down, you go find your thing!" Once patched up, Zipline bounces up on top of Horsepower's shoulder, then up on top of the crate they were taking cover behind. Claws extend as she runs along the upper crates, weaving between them to avoid laser fire as she runs right back towards Rumble. Energy crackles between those claws as she lunges, a yellow projectile of her own, at the decepticon tape. "Eat claw, deceptiloser!" Combat: Zipline sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Zipline strikes Rumble with her DEATH FROM ABOVE! attack! Turning at the slight glow that begins to build at Imager's point, Airlift calls out, "Decepticons! Optical Shields!" before the light simply flickers and fades, "orrrrr...not.." he says before the shotgun blast spatters across his chestplate. From the distance he was away from Imager, the shot does little damage except scoring his armor in a few places, the spread too wide to have much effect. He kicks off the ground and flies in the direction Horsepower took off, moving between the stacked crates and calling out in a sing song voice, "Come ouuuut little Autobot.. It's no use hiding..because I'm coming for youuuuu.." The voice is all the more terrible because of that strange rasping quality of Airlift's vocal systems. "Ahhhhh.. There you are.." he says as he stops by a crate, his scythe's blade lengthens considerably before he swings it hard, slicing through the crate in front of him, believing the Autobot to be on the other side of it doing his improvised repair work. Combat: Airlift misses Horsepower with his it's simply a cut above the competition attack! -2 Combat: Airlift (Airlift) used "Energy Scythe": A Level 2 MELEE attack. <'Autobot'> Imager says, "I uh...I think I gotta get that thing fixed" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Oh Vector Sigma, I get it, that shrimpcon skewered me right next to it. it's all fritzy" There is just a horrific flailing of limbs as Chopshop does his best to stay gnawing Imager's shield. But then that light starts to glow and all of a suddenly, there are more Imagers. The Insecticon almost ignores the shotgun blast as his red optics just glint. "That's -our- trick! How dare you try to steal it!" he hisses, blasting away from Imager as the Insecticon goes to eat the... Clones? Won't he turn out to be silly when it turns out they're not clones but just images? Combat: Giant Stag Beetle sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Giant Stag Beetle strikes hImager with his Clones are an Insecticon copywrite! (Punch) attack! Combat: Massive damage! Combat: hImager falls to the ground, unconscious. Combat: Rumble sets his defense level to Fearless. <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Snerk" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "We'll have to tune it up. Later." Rumble pauses in his shooting rampage only momentarily, as one of Imager's shots tags him in the chestplate and leaves a smoking hole. "HEY, FAT FEET, LEARN HOW TO AIM!!!" he bellows. As he turns back around, he's met up close and personal by Zipline, and gets the heavens-to-mercy scratched out of him. He's a serious sizzling, smoking mess now. Not a hot mess; just a mess, as they say in Hollywood. With a nasty little grin, Rumble suddenly transforms his arms in and his pylons OUT. Then he lunges right back at the tapekitty, aiming to pulverize her in the worst way possible. Combat: Rumble strikes Zipline with his Piledriver Assault attack! Imager actually snerks when Chopshop attacks her hologram. It was actually pretty rare for someone to fall for that, now that she thought on it. Blot was the last one. With a bare thought, she reinforces her images, summoning more. If it worked once, might work again. Her voice rings out towards Rumble, "I hit ya, right? Sounds like I'm doin good." She tilts her neck, servos misaligning in a series of cracks, as she stomps towards Chopshop, which meant that six other Imagers surrounded him. "I can't..." Her arm raises up, shield up high, "stand...." Seven Imagers bring down their shields en masse towards Chopshop, raising a cloud of dust and debris as...well okay one one of them could hit him, but it looks cool, as they all yell out "SCRAPLETS!" Combat: Imager strikes Giant Stag Beetle with her Shield Bash attack! <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Zipline, you wanna swap targets? I feel like stomping on Rumble again, you lead him this way, you can out agile this dumbaft, and I'll put the lil guy down" hImager fades from view. hImager has arrived. <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Musical targets it is. I left enough of him for you to turn into maybe part of a pancake." As soon as Zipline is loosed on her way to cause Rumble some more misery, Horsepower doesn't dwaddle either. She goes one way and he pushes off in the other. Not a moment too soon either, as a scythe comes slicing down through the crates just miliseconds afterwards. That was way too close for comfort. No more time to waste being practical and patient about this. Horsepower just charges right through a stack of bins like a linebacker, leaving them to tumble off to the sides as he makes a line for that shipping crate. With the Reaver right on his heels. No time to be neat. Which is why he just slams a large fist into the side of the crate and pulls the panel off. Bingo! And someone was smart enough to pack the power core seperate from the machine, too. Imagine that. Horsepower grabs the two parts and kicks the crate away, opening his chest/cab and shoving the glowing cylinder inside of it. Then looks down at the rest of the device. Maybe with a little less than full power.... The mechanic reachs back to grab the power feed line from his portable back up, and plug it into the device in place of the experimental power core that was packed with it. Then turns to face the Reaver with it, bracing it with one hand and his arm while he pulls on the activator with the other. "Welp, this thing was s'pose to be for field testin' anyhoo... So why the slag not!" Energy glows in the center of the front of the device as the pronged emitter starts to spin up, then fires it off in a beam of blistering hot plasma that's twisting almost like a drill would. Combat: Horsepower sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Horsepower strikes Airlift with the Horsepower-forged Plasma Auger attack! Combat: Used up 1 Charges. 1 remain. <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Ah found it! Let's see what this little sweetie can do!" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Whoa, whatcha got there, Horse?" <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "I'm seeing seeing septuplets here. Imager, which is you?" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "I'm behind him at the sec. Sorta forgot about that" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "It's kinda like a minin' drill, but uses a plasma beam to burn through strata that would be too tough for a normal machin'ry. But the power core that was made fer it is kinda overpowerin', that's why Ah just patched it into my own backup instead." <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "If they'd found it the Cons coulda used it to tear through Retoris' walls. Or worse. S'why we had to find it first." <'Autobot'> Imager says, "A direct line to the secondary fuel systems, eh? Dang, makes me wanna change calibration and give it a go myself sometime. You gonna blow up the rest of it, or you think we can loot it? My grapnel beam can draw some parts over and we can scoot?" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Bah, Nothin can tear through Retoris' wall." <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "y'all really wanna risk the chance?" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Ah got the core and the emitter, they're the important parts." <'Autobot'> Imager says, "so we bailing before more of em comes in?" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Start workin' towards makin' an exit, yeah. We got what we came fer" WHOMP. It was a bit like getting a newspaper on the muzzle, except at high velocity. And probably a lot more painful, too. There's a distinct crunching sound when Zipline's muzzle gets pounded straight on by one of those pylons. She works her jaw a little bit, looking like she's smelled something bad. Then spits out a couple of white fangs. "Lame! Those were my first set still!" She grumbles, tail flicking behind her in irritation. Then abruptly, Zipline turns on her tail, and runs off. "YOu want the rest?! Come and get me, loser!" She shouts out back at the other tape, while making a rapid get-away towards the entrance of the ship-yard. Or is she? She's certainly making her way that way, and fast. But she's also making tracks to where seven images of... Imager... are surrounding Chopshop. Zipline keeps running, making her way straight for them. > She leaps up on top of one of the nearby crates. Then on the one on top of it. And then from there, leaps straight up and over one of the Imager's heads. "HI!" She says, cheerfully. Before arcing forward, aiming her the cannon straight down at Chopshop. Then the railcannon her back gives an ominous hum, and with a dull WHUD, lets loose a metal slug going near the speed of sound. The recoil sends Zipline bouncing back, and she lands on all fours just in front of... Well, one of the Imagers. <> <'Autobot'> Horsepower chuckles. "But feel free to whomp 'em some more along the way. Make the trip really worthwhile." <'Autobot'> Imager says, "don't it, though?" Combat: Zipline strikes Giant Stag Beetle with her High-powered firearms is how I say hi! attack! -2 <'Autobot'> Imager says, "that was a pretty sweet shot, I gotta say" <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "Why thank you~ Nice trick with the clone army!" There's a moment where Airlift is seemingly frozen in time, turning part of the way towards Horsepower as the weapon charges up, and then it belches its payload of superheated plasma, spinning towards Airlift and the Reaver has no time to get out of the way. There's a tremendous crackle of energy and blast of smoke and heat as the impact washes over the Reaver, and then crates are falling and smashing around where he was. By the looks of things, he's been totally blown away..at least at first. As the smoke wisps further out of the way, the hole in the back of a crate gives testament to the fact that Airlift still functions, having ripped through the crate and into the maze of boxes, seeking to rendezvous with Rumble per plans. As he's going, those gatling lasers withdraw and a welding laser is deployed instead. two clawed hands reach up and take what look like flexible metal strips off of the inner curve of his wings. When he comes in to position and finds Rumble, Airlift goes to work quickly. The flexible strips are placed over the largest of the wounds in Rumbles armor and an electrical current passed through them, detonating the micro-fusers on the inside of the strip and hardening the metal as patches. Airlift then quickly bends one of the tears in Rumble's armor into place and his welder flashes a couple of times, making quick repairs before the two part again, Airlift already heading for Chopshop's position. <'Autobot'> Imager says, "One of my faves. Too easy for mechs to say "Hey, there's no way Rodimus is here" or stuff, but to figure out which one of me is me, well that's not as easy." <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Smart tactic, eeyup" <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Hoo doggy, looks like this thing tore a chunk outta him good." <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "It sounds gnarly! In a good way." Rumble chuckles evilly as Zipline goes running off with broken fangs. Only he is nasty enough to hit a tape-kitty and think it's a funny thing. Pulling his pylons back in, he heads over to Airlift for some quick patchwork. "Thanks, mech!" Combat: Rumble takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Combat: Airlift quickly patches up some of Rumble's minor injuries. Chopshop is angered to see the Imager he attacked was just an image. What disrespect, using an image to trick him! The Insecticon chitters angrily again... But then they all rush him. Unprepared for which one is the actual one, Chopshop is slammed into by Imager's bulk, his armor crushed. But as he weakly stands, he's caught off-guard by Zipline, the railcannon shot striking home and going right through the damaged Insecticon, who collapses. But then, those red optics see something. That Autobot is stealing. That Autobot is stealing things which should be -his-. Weakly, Chopshop rises to his six legs again, and there's a last blast of desperatation from his booster as he rushes towards Horsepower, attempting to close his mandibles around the Autobot and carry him deeper into the city and Decepticon territory! Combat: Giant Stag Beetle strikes Horsepower with his Stealing the crates? I'll steal the whole Autobot! (Grab) attack! Combat: Giant Stag Beetle (Chopshop) used "Grab": A Level 0 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 0 damage. <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Whelp, Rumble didn't come this way" <'Autobot'> Imager says, "Guess I'll go to them" Combat: Giant Stag Beetle is size 5, slightly smaller than you. <'Autobot'> Zipline says, "What the slag is that insect doing?" Imager braces for Chopshop's counterattack, part of the plan still held to switch quarries but as she turns towards Zipline's entrance vector...Rumble wasn't there. She actually makes a frustrated groan as Chopshop goes Shopakaze or something towards Horsepower. She reaches out a hand a moment too late to grasp him, "Hey look out for the..." And the two are already engaged. She pauses again, "Okay then..." and turns to look towards Airlift, patching up Rumble. "HEY!" She warns, pointing at Airlift, "We just broke that. Quit it!" She lumbers towards the duo, building up a head of steam as she does...but she IS a bit slow. <'Autobot'> Horsepower grunts. "Somethin' he's gonna regret." Combat: Imager takes extra time to steady herself. Pass Hot vapors hiss from the prototype device as the emitter spins down, and Horsepower lets out a low whistle. Tore a good chunk outta that Decepticon hull. Now he's kinda afraid to imagine what the thing could of done with full power instead of just being fed off his personal power supply. Though that was pretty effective... Maybe with just a bit of calibrating... Oh, the woe of an inventor, getting distracted by a new idea. In the moment of ponderance he doesn't even notice the mechanical bug scurrying over until pinchers snap onto him. "Aw hell no." Heavy heels dig into the ground to try and resist, but the stag beetle is a bit too strong and has a good grip. "Y'all wanna rodeo, huh? Well, fine then." With a grunt, Horsepower drops back and transforms. Which due to the way his legs collapse into his body and his feet are made from his plow, leaves Chopshop clamping onto his front. "Then let's ride!" Figurative petal slams to the metal, oversized engine roaring with a great deal of his namesake as Horsepower throttles forward towards one of the railyard retaining walls. Horsepower drops his bulk to the pavement, converting into a modified wrecker rig. Horsepower/OMOVE - Set. Combat: Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig strikes Giant Stag Beetle with his Between A Plow And a Hard Place attack! -2 Combat: Drained 5 energon. Combat: Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig 's risky attack leaves him temporarily incapacitated! <'Autobot'> Horsepower grunts. "Gonna scrape off this bug and open a way out!" *CRASH* ".. Errr.. maybe a little -too- hard..." <'Autobot'> Horsepower says, "Or not hard 'nuff. Never quite sure when it comes to walls." The grin on Zipline's muzzle fades when she realizes that... Chopshop is not only not incapacitated yet, but has scuttled off. And not away, either. "Where the slag do you think you're going!?" Zipline glares at the dung beetle beginning to make his 'getaway'. Or in this case, beginning to make a getaway with their getaway. "Get your aft back here!" Zipline gives chase, quickly following up behind Horsepower and his uninvited passenger. Then cringes when they both go careening into the wall. "That has got to smart. More for the crazy bug." <> She asks, passing him up. <'ll go clear our way out of here!>> Claws rip into the ground as Zipline hurries towards the exit of the shipping yard. Her cannon stays hot, glowing slightly with a charge as she clears out the slow moving replacements to those drones that Horsepower plowed through to get them into there in the first place. Combat: Zipline begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit. Giant Stag Beetle was a wreck before he decided to grab Horsepower, so when the Autobot transforms and slams through the Insecticon, there's not much he can do over than... Lie there, with a twitch. The Global Pose Tracker marks that Giant Stag Beetle has 'skipped' his action for this round. Rumble smirks at Imager. "Get movin' like your kittycat friend there, Big Feet," he chides, waving his laser-rifle at her. He flies up to the top of a crate pile, and shoots at in her direction. "Go on, beat it, vamoose!" Combat: Rumble strikes Imager with his High-Intensity Pulse Laser (Laser) attack! The Reaver had already turned towards where Imager was in her multitudinal largeness, though because he meant to see to Chopshop's injuries. As it so happens though, Chopshop charges off into a suicide run and then lays there like a crumpled heap afterwards. Airlift keeps running towards Imager, but instead of attacking her he slams the tip of his scythe into the ground and uses it to pole vault upwards, launching overtop the massive femme. His foot kicks out, catching a crate to alter his trajectory as he heads straight for Horsepower and apparently the kid gloves are off. His plasma cannon glows and crackles as he levels it towards the wrecking truck, opening fire as he hurtles at him. "You're not leaving here with that device Autobot!" he calls out as he does. Combat: Airlift sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Airlift strikes Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig with his one good plasma bath deserves another attack! Combat: Airlift (Airlift) used "Plasma Cannon": A Level 6 RANGED attack. Combat: You took 18 damage. Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig rocks back and forth a few times revving his engine before he finally manages to dislodge himnself from the wall, leaving the Insecticon to topple off to the side somewhere, forgotten. Multiple plasma shots scorch him from behind as he's doing so, leaving ugly burn gouges in his chassis. Well there's a hole in the wall, and Zipline manages to bolt through, but it's not big enough for the big Bots since he kinda got stuck there. "Guess Ah shoulda just done this in the first place." Since it's still hooked up to his own systems he deploys the emitter and uses a short burst from the plasma auger to make a much bigger hole in the wall from the one he started. "Sorry bucko, but Ah gotta engineer that wants his toys back." With a more appropriate exit way made, he guns the gas and roars off through the opening. Combat: Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Zipline Imager puts her shoulder and shield forward, catching most of Rumble's blast with it. She squints, retorting with an equally clever, "Oh put a bolt in it, Rumble." She steps back a few paces, halting her lumbering charge. Her optics shift back to Horsepower, "Eh, we got what we wanted, but if you want..." She kneels down, her body changing shape into her heavy hovercraft, "You can get sucked up into my intake valves, that's a lot like getting crushed under my feet, eh?" Her hoverjets tilt backwards, causing her to start drifting backwards. The large shield, now a solar array atop her, angles forwards, letting out blasts of energy to cover her retreat. "It'll save ya the trouble of havin to tell your Mr Monotone that you suck!" She starts to laugh as her frame shifts to turn around, then for good measure, blasts one of the other supply crates. The only one that happened to still be stacked properly in that pile. "Get it? Because you'd get sucked into...ah nevermind!" Her turbines pick up as she exits the area, rearguard for the Autobots. Combat: Imager begins retreating, leaving herself vulnerable to parting shots from Zipline, Airlift, and Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig There's a roar of frustration from Airlift, who kicks off the ground and flies after the Autobot's as they begin to turn tail and run. "SLAGGIT! STAND AND FACE ME YOU COWARD!" he calls after Horsepower, firing ineffectual shots as the tow truck vanishes into the darkness, unable to get a good bead. He could probably tag Imager as she makes her escape, but there's simply no point..instead, the almost completely unscathed reaver turns back to the damaged Decepticons.. "This was pathetic.." he growls out angrily to no one particular, moving in and transforming, deploying his lift cables and grabbing the badly damaged beetle. "Rumble, we're going back to base. We'll need to report this latest move to Soundwave, the Autobot's appear to have developed a weaponized mining drill of some kind..and I want everything in this yard opened and inventoried!" Giant Stag Beetle continues not doing much other than twitching as he is dragged off by Airlift. Not that he can do much at this point, other than hate and plot. "You got it," Rumble says to Airlift, as he places his laser-rifle back into its holster. "Y'know, that femme would be kinda cute if she didn't have such huge-mungus feet," he contemplates as he flies off toward base to get fully fixed and recharged.